Dan Worley, one of our brilliant instructors at Les Quennevais Sports Centre, is preparing to take on the London Marathon on Sunday 26th April 2026, raising money for the Meningitis Research Foundation. We caught up with him to find out how his marathon journey is going:
What motivated you to take on the London Marathon?
“The London Marathon is one of, if not the most iconic marathon events in the world, attracting thousands of runners from across the globe. To have the opportunity to run the course in 2026 — and to do it for a charity close to my heart — is amazing!”
Have you taken part in any marathons before?
“I’ve completed two marathons so far — my first was the Jersey Marathon in 2024, with a time of 3 hours, 49 minutes and 6 seconds. Most recently, I ran the Brighton Marathon in 2025, finishing in 3 hours, 58 minutes and 13 seconds.”
Why did you choose to support the Meningitis Research Foundation? Does the cause have a personal meaning for you?
“I chose to support the Meningitis Research Foundation because I was briefly diagnosed with aseptic meningitis — a type of meningitis involving inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord — when I was around four or five years old. I was hospitalised for around two weeks, but thankfully I recovered fully after clearing the viral infection and was able to return home.”
How are you planning your training? Will your training for this marathon differ to any previous training for marathons?
“Training for a marathon is never easy, but I’ve found it to be manageable and progressive each time I’ve trained. My plan always includes a weekly long run, increasing the distance by about 10% each week, finishing at around 35–38 kilometres (22 miles). I’ll also be doing a mix of shorter, high-intensity runs and easy recovery runs. My training for London 2026 will follow a similar structure and will last around 12 weeks, starting in mid-January and continuing through to race day on 26th April.”
Have you faced any challenges or setbacks along the way?
“In both 2024 and 2025, I experienced physical and mental setbacks during training. Balancing a social life and ensuring I was in the right condition for early morning long runs wasn’t easy — I had to be mindful of what I ate and drank over the 12-week training period.
Mentally, it was tough to stay motivated: running mile after mile in all kinds of weather, often feeling fatigued. But I kept reminding myself that I was doing this for my own personal goals.
Now, in 2026, I’m running to show that anyone who’s gone through hardship can achieve something amazing — if you put your mind to it, you can do anything, no matter how long it takes.”
What advice would you give to anyone thinking about running a marathon for charity?
“Whether it’s your first, fifth or fiftieth marathon, doing it for a charity makes it unforgettable.
Whether you're running for yourself, in memory of someone, or to raise awareness for a cause — be it health, education, social justice or anything else — marathons create a real sense of community.”
How can people donate or support your efforts?
I have a JustGiving Online donation page: Daniel Worley is fundraising for Meningitis Research Foundation